Expanding on the original's brilliance, this ingenious platformer only gets better by embracing the Wii's limited capabilities and adds so many ideas, big and small, that we can't help but love it. Even if you (mistakenly) believe it's too similar to the first game, what's wrong with more of an incredibly great thing?

One of the top three open-worlds of all time, and the best game Rockstar has ever made. An all-time Old West masterpiece.

The world is massive and detailed, the gameplay is damn near perfect, and though there are some lackluster side missions, the actual story is filled with memorable personalities that feel more fully-realized than even the best of GTA's previous characters.

The most freeform Zelda yet, without sacrificing the charm, fun or quality you expect from the series. Nintendo’s finest work since Super Mario Galaxy.

This is how you do a next-gen remaster. Rockstar has pulled out all the stops to bring GTA V up to speed on PS4 and Xbox One. Beautiful, immersive, essential - it begs to be played all over again.

Super Mario Odyssey successfully brings the series up to date and opens it up to a new audience, while still retaining every ounce of its nostalgia and retro charm.

Really, though, the only glaring weakness we can find in BioShock is that it may be too unusual, too original, too artistic and too genius to be embraced by the general public. Please don't let this game become that forgotten, one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. It looks amazing, plays like a dream and the voice-acting/story-telling will hook you in right from the off. PS3 officially has it's a killer-app and a million tears are shed by 360 fanboys.

Baldur's Gate 3 is the most successful and authentic take on D&D in the tabletop franchise's 50-year history. Its complexity and size might be daunting for novices, but the breadth and depth of Baldur's Gate 3's world make this a once-in-a-generation achievement.

Mass Effect 2 strikes a perfect balance between intense shooter action and gut-wrenching drama, set in a richly textured world on the brink of destruction. It's a must-own for science fiction fans, who will love exploring the depths of the galaxy and fighting to save humanity.

Elden Ring is both a refinement and evolution of the Dark Souls formula, presenting an expansive world that's as hostile as it is inviting. Despite the occasional excess, suffering has never been as much fun as this.

Skyrim is sprawling, generous, gorgeous and ambitious. It does what few games can: thoroughly follow through on its ambitions. It could be possible to play only this game for the next year and still not discover all of its mysteries.

Simply put, Resident Evil 4 is the tightest, most accessible game in the series and one of the best games out there.

Though almost intimidatingly big at times, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom manages to keep focus and provide a rich, robust experience that builds on what came before.

What does make it great is that it actually delivers on nearly everything it promises while still being fun to just pick up and play.

Without a doubt, Red Dead Redemption has been worth the wait. The finesse of the final delivery and the richness of the world is awe-inspiring and will keep you thrilled from start to finish.

Its storytelling is peerless, as affecting and multi-layered as it is grounded, underplayed and real. In terms of everything the modern action game has strived to be, The Last of Us is the full-stop at the end of the sentence, leaving no more to be said. Until next-gen. If this is our starting point for that, then the next five to ten years could be truly amazing.

One of the most stirring, rewarding gaming experiences in history.

The Last of Us remains a must-play, genre-defining action survival game, and the Remastered version brings with it plentiful tweaks and additional content that make it well worth the asking price.

Portal 2 couldn't be Portal, but it's the next best thing. It's a longer, funnier, more emotional plummet through Aperture's perplexing laboratory, and its meticulous detail, perfect pacing, and kinetic, mind-expanding puzzles make it a blazingly memorable experience. It's so damn memorable, already feel nostalgic about it.

Without a doubt, Red Dead Redemption has been worth the wait. The finesse of the final delivery and the richness of the world is awe-inspiring and will keep you thrilled from start to finish.

Portal 2 couldn't be Portal, but it's the next best thing. It's a longer, funnier, more emotional plummet through Aperture's perplexing laboratory, and its meticulous detail, perfect pacing, and kinetic, mind-expanding puzzles make it a blazingly memorable experience. It's so damn memorable, already feel nostalgic about it.

Portal 2 couldn't be Portal, but it's the next best thing. It's a longer, funnier, more emotional plummet through Aperture's perplexing laboratory, and its meticulous detail, perfect pacing, and kinetic, mind-expanding puzzles make it a blazingly memorable experience. It's so damn memorable, already feel nostalgic about it.

Astro Bot doesn't just deliver on the promise and potential displayed in PS5 pack-in demo Astro's Playroom, but soars above and beyond to serve up a near-perfect platformer to rival – and possibly surpass – the best of Super Mario's Mushroom Kingdom romps.

Anyone who already has issues with the single-player ‘style’ of IW’s games will still find fault with the scripted, linear experience, but in terms of sheer drama and show-stopping set-pieces accompanied by laser sharp FPS controls, Modern Warfare 2 is your daddy. And that’s without Spec Ops and Multiplayer.

One of PlayStation’s finest moments, Kratos has been reimagined for a new audience while keeping the best bits of what originally made him great.

The Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree expansion had a lot to live up to, but gorgeous vistas, superb boss fights, and a range of fun new gear sweep you through a massive expansion that feels half as long as it is. At this point, it's almost getting boring praising FromSoftware every time.

Hades 2 is a hugely ambitious sequel that occasionally stretches itself too thin in an attempt to make up for its increased scope, but that only distracts temporarily from a game that's intricately crafted in every facet of its existence. Impeccable combat and flawless characterization across a huge roster make for a follow-up that surpasses even its excellent predecessor.

Batman: Arkham Asylum was the greatest superhero game of all time. The sequel, Batman: Arkham City, is five times bigger and about a billion times better. You do the math.

While some elements of its design feel antiquated, stunning changes made to Metroid Prime's visual design, performance, and controls are enough to breathe new life into one of the greatest video games of all-time. Whether this is your first journey to Talon IV or a return trip, Metroid Prime Remastered is well worth your time and attention.

Mass Effect 2 strikes a perfect balance between intense shooter action and gut-wrenching drama, set in a richly textured world on the brink of destruction. It's a must-own for science fiction fans, who will love exploring the depths of the galaxy and fighting to save humanity.

The definitive version of gaming's most revered and respected adventure. From obvious graphical touches to minor gameplay tweaks, Ocarina 3DS updates an aging classic and makes it presentable to an entirely new generation of adoring fans.

Really, though, the only glaring weakness we can find in BioShock is that it may be too unusual, too original, too artistic and too genius to be embraced by the general public. Please don't let this game become that forgotten, one-of-a-kind masterpiece. We need sequels. We need more.

Everything we loved about the 360/PC versions, now on one disc and with all the DLC goodies included. We can't name another game that so expertly mixes shooting, exploration and sweeping story. A shining beacon of our medium.

Huge, muscular combatants move like giant men wearing heavy gear, fine details are everywhere, and splattering blood never looked so beautiful - and we mean that in an uncreepy, non-Hannibal Lecter kind of way. It just looks incredible.

Like Homer, once you've begun to consume what this eternity has to offer, you'll have no desire to stop. The fourth Elder Scrolls entry is utterly brilliant and should not be missed by any adventure-spirited gamer.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is a triumphant evolution of Atlus' best, and offers a gripping new story supplemented by a loveable cast, dungeons begging to be explored, and a gorgeous art direction that makes you feel like you're wandering the pages of a fairytale book, although it takes a while to reach its greatest heights.

Sky-lines, the suspended tracks you can use to ride through levels like a rollercoaster, turn the first-person shooting into a first-person thrillride. It delivers a new FPS experience entirely, where you hold your breath at the apex of a sky-line before screaming down the rail so fast that no bullet can touch you. You won’t have access to sky-line mobility in the lion’s share of the fights--but when you do, it’s an absolute rush.

The single player is bigger and brawnier than anything that's been attempted on a console before. The multiplayer, which already shadowed the competition, has improved to the point of ridiculousness. The new features - Forge, Saved Films, Coop - are frighteningly addictive. And if you don't like any of that, you're always welcome to edit it until you do.

Like Homer, once you've begun to consume what this eternity has to offer, you'll have no desire to stop. The fourth Elder Scrolls entry is utterly brilliant and should not be missed by any adventure-spirited gamer.

It will be like playing SFII for the first time all over again, only with the years of love and experience you've since gained already built in. To long-term Street Fighter fans, everything old is new again. To the new players, we simply say welcome to the party. You're going to have a hell of a good time.

I found God of War Ragnarok an oddly split experience overall. There's a light start that feels padded – still good but missing depth – which leads into a weighty finish that's every bit the equal of its predecessor. But despite feeling like a 15 hour story trying to fill a 30 hour game, God of War Ragnarok is still easily one of the best PS5 games of the year. Even when it feels a bit thin, that's largely in comparison to the last game, with this maintaining that same absurd level of polish, and entertainment, even when the story feels like it's filling for time. When the dial does finally crank up to 11 you can feel it kick in, and by the end there are some incredible beats and a hugely satisfying resolution overall.

For $10 more (and if you can find it) the Special Edition of Subsistence includes a third disc with all of Snake Eater's cinematics re-cut and re-edited into a three-hour movie, complete with new narration. It's an extra special bonus for an already extra-amazing game.

Anyone who already has issues with the single-player ‘style’ of IW’s games will still find fault with the scripted, linear experience, but in terms of sheer drama and show-stopping set-pieces accompanied by laser sharp FPS controls, Modern Warfare 2 is your daddy. And that’s without Spec Ops and Multiplayer.

One of the best action titles on the PS2, God of War stands out as an ultraviolent masterpiece.

A streamlined interface, a non-linear tech tree, impressive AI with 18 personalities, a new combat system (no more spearmen defeating tanks), amazing multiplayer features and narration by Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy all give the new Civ plenty of both flash and substance.

From the digital-crack gameplay to the ocean-deep customization to the enjoyable Subspace Emissary, it's completely jam-packed with Nintendo love. The sights, the sounds, everything is an unfiltered pat on the back and incessant in-joke for longtime fans. For everyone else, it's a dependably solid fighter that destroys its predecessor in every way.

You've never seen a strategy game with combat as intense as Company of Heroes.

Naughty Dog's PS4 swansong is an astonishing, absurdly ambitious epic that goes far and beyond what we could have imagined for a sequel to an all-time classic.

Shameless developers trotting out shallow minigame anthologies and SNES era RPGs should stand in embarrassment at just how much potential Rockstar Leeds managed to wring from a console this late in its lifespan. Gentlemen, it’s time to beg your girlfriend for that DS back. Perhaps you could trade in your PS3 - it’s not like that’s getting more GTA anytime soon.

This is hands-down the best virtual reality money can buy right now, and feels like a tantalizing promise of just what the big game studios could achieve if they were willing to put their time and money into creating a AAA experience for VR platforms.

An addictive, relentlessly fun thrill ride that'll make you feel like the toughest, most brutal thing in the ancient world.

3D World sees the plumber at the top of his game, and it’s finally as fun to play with friends as it is solo. It doesn’t redefine the franchise like previous entries have, but when the total package is as fun as 3D World, that’s hardly a complaint.

The wait was worth it. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty delivers on all fronts with unique singleplayer missions, a gripping story for the campaign and excellent multiplayer. Prepare yourself for the definitive RTS of the decade. StarCraft II is the new standard and will cast a shadow over all RTS titles that follow for quite some time.

It will be like playing "SFII" for the first time all over again, only with the years of love and experience you've since gained already built in. To long-term Street Fighter fans, everything old is new again. To the new players, we simply say welcome to the party. You're going to have a hell of a good time.

Now that it's finally "finished," Minecraft stands as a remarkable achievement - not only a well-rounded gaming experience, but a chance for players to experiment, explore freely and reshape their environment to an almost ludicrous level. If you own a computer and haven't given Minecraft a try, you're missing one of the most unique experiences of this generation.

Persona 4 Golden sports a phenomenal amount of content packed into a single card. One of the PlayStation 2's greatest role-playing games of all time graces the Vita with slick, vivid aesthetic improvements, loads of additional areas to explore, and tons of reasons to come back even if you've beaten the game into the ground.

The voice acting is outstanding, the music is genius, the art style is so slick it'll raise your personal coolness level just from being in close proximity to it. Playing Persona 5 will make your hair glossier, increase your vocal range by an octave and add 7.32 years to your overall life expectancy. Play it enough times and you'll likely not only be able to levitate but also make a perfect omelette while in midair. It's THAT good.

You're getting a long quest packed with life-giving missions and a presentation that's unlike anything you've ever played. If you consider yourself a gamer in any way, buy this right now. You will not be disappointed.

The only downside - and it's huge - is that as of this late March 2007 writing, the PS3 Oblivion does not support additional content the way the 360 and PC versions do.

Even if the end destination of this final chapter isn't quite as magnificent as we hoped for, we'll never regret the hundred-hour, three-game journey we took across the galaxy to get there. Mass Effect 3 is an incredible experience that rewards you for those years of investment and devotion to its stratospheric tale.

A new standard for open-world interaction, and an incredible sign-off to a spectacular, often infuriating, series. This is one of the most ingenious, lovingly crafted games of all time.

A perfectly balanced mix of innovation and classic Zelda gameplay, Skyward Sword truly lives up to the Zelda legacy of excellence and offers the most variety of any Zelda game to date. Its swordplay and puzzles are some of the best in the series, and seeing Link and Zelda's first story chronologically is a treat for longtime fans.

Truthfully, the entire game feels like a defiantly kickass celebration of music. Combined with the complete success and undeniable innovation of Pro Mode, how could anyone resist Rock Band 3?

Capcom has delivered a great remake of a classic game, one that captures everything that made it so special to begin with. Resident Evil 4 Remake is full of action and variety that's as exhilarating now as it ever was.

It’s a good conclusion for the series overall. Sure, it’s a little loose at the start, and tonally it tries hard to be so serious and grown up, but once it gets all that out of its system the Uncharted-ness comes through and we get to take Nate for one last spin, ‘Oh Craps’ and all.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate takes characters we’ve played for decades and remasters them into a robust, fantastically enjoyable package.

Whether or not it achieves the same touchstone status as Limbo, Inside is a spellbinding, haunting experience - one I don't intend to relive any time soon, but absolutely recommend.

Resident Evil Requiem is the most cinematic, bloody, surprisingly emotional moment for the franchise to-date. Its two protagonists complement one another for a balanced experience that feels more narrativized than ever before, with bombastic combat and strong set pieces amping up the nostalgia without feeling gimmicky. Requiem sees Capcom drawing from 30 years of terror to expand its lore, chart a path forward, and pay homage to a gilded survival horror legacy – one with plenty of life left in it.

What does make it great is that it actually delivers on nearly everything it promises while still being fun to just pick up and play.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an outstanding visionary debut from Sandfall Interactive, which isn't merely a love letter to JRPGs but builds on its traditions with a distinctly French identity, making for one of the most exciting and rewarding action and turn-based hybrid battle systems ever devised, while putting you through the emotional wringer. This is an old-school feeling JRPG as dynamic as Persona but with parry-filled battles as hard-won as Sekiro.

Forza Horizon 4 isn’t as bombastic as its predecessor, but still a challenging and all-encompassing online racer. And the more introverted moments of driving through autumnal or snow-dusted Britain are beautiful, especially as a showcase for Xbox One X.

While not a huge leap forward for the franchise, God of War III refines its already-fun gameplay to near-perfection while delivering the clever puzzles, high production values and pure, rage-fueled brutality fans expect. Add a memorable cast of characters and buckets of gore, and Kratos's last adventure is also his best yet.

Buy this game. The content is plentiful (and crucially, more is en route) and the fantasy experience is pure rock and roll excess. Your personal stairway to heaven awaits.

While it never quite reaches the highs of Uncharted 2, Uncharted 3's slick, relentless action, beautiful visuals and beefed-up multiplayer ensure that it stands well enough on its own.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth delivers all the charm of Remake while making the needed improvements to side-content to ensure the original's step-out moment is one worth taking once more.

The experience is well worth its $170 asking price (for a guitar/drum/mic/game bundle, which is the only way you’ll be able to buy Rock Band for months anyway) and makes for one of the most rewarding co-op events you could ask for. This is the perfectly polished, logical extension of what Guitar Hero started and where the music genre needed to go. It just rocks.

Move over Elephant Mario, the true star of Super Mario Bros. Wonder are the Wonder Flowers themselves, which continuously add the unexpected to an altogether brilliant 2D platformer. Okay, Elephant Mario's pretty amazing too.

An invigorated spirit occupying a reassuringly recognisable body, Dark Souls’ life force flows through Bloodborne’s revitalised veins. Intelligent and intense, it's simply PS4’s best exclusive game.

Regardless of whether or not you're a hardcore fan of strategy games, WarCraft III's compelling story and excellent balance makes it a must-own.

Aside from moaning about the shortcomings the Wii's technical limitations force upon the game, the only thing to complain about with Rock Band 2 – and it’s barely even a complaint - is that it polishes rather than reinvents.

It’s last year’s top-rated game remixed with 10 new fighters and fantastic new online modes, all at a lower price. That’s an incredible deal no matter how you slice it.

Forza Horizon 5 is a stunning and beautifully crafted entry in the series that's full of memorable races, creativity, and fantastic additions.

Blue Prince feels truly unique in how it takes a simple premise and fills it with multiple threads of mystery to pull at. This exploration roguelike is like nothing else I've played, and became a puzzle obsession I just couldn't shake across multiple runs where I always felt like I was discovering something new. Even after credits, the mysteries of Mt. Holly continue to surprise me.

The story soars, but not so often. The dungeons are long and meandering. The gameplay is effective, but not engrossing. It's a staggeringly well-made game that throws more at you than any other RPG on the PS2... but well-made doesn't necessarily mean "fun."

Sloppy combat and ongoing optimisation can't quite spoil this dark fantasy adventure, set in a stunning world of blood and black magic.

Whether you're a hardcore fighting game player or a casual Street Fighter fan who hasn't touched the series for a generation or so, Street Fighter 6 has something for you and, not only that, manages to offer enough reason for both sides to dip their toes into the other side's water. It's a strong package – arguably the best overall fighting game package ever made – but it'd all be for naught if the fighting system that underpins it all wasn't up to much. It just happens to be the most flexible, versatile and expressive combat in a Street Fighter game to date. Street Fighter 6 is a perfect place to start or a brilliant continuation, an exceptional time for those who are looking to play 30 hours or 3000 hours.

For people who loved "Gladiator," fans of top-shelf strategy games and history aficionados of any stripe - all roads lead to Rome.

The Rewind addition removes the most agonizing aspect of the modern racing sim, while the ridiculous level of customization and online support keeps the experience fluid and rewarding. And at 60 bucks, Forza 3 presents more value than just about any other game in any genre.

Not only a brilliantly authentic presentation of its subject matter but a tremendous game in its own right, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a big, clever and finely crafted experience which propels Rocksteady immediately into the realm of triple-A developers. This year's BioShock. That's what it is.

The in-depth strategy, creative use of asynchronous multiplayer, and host of bonus content are all enough to recommend it to fans and non-fans alike. For once, don't let the spectre of permadeath deter you from this classic series. Fire Emblem: Awakening is the best RPG on the Nintendo 3DS to date.

The Walking Dead deals in a spectrum of emotion that few other games dare to take on, and it does so with aplomb. It's utterly triumphant, crafting a narrative that proves the power of the medium by embracing what makes it unique, leading to one of the most memorable gameplay experiences ever created.

Same great Smash Bros. gameplay, amazing new presentation on the Wii U. Whether you're looking for technical depth or enjoyable chaos, you'll find it here.

Better in every way than the previous game...Unless you hate rock, you need this game.

The experience is well worth its $170 asking price (for a guitar/drum/mic/game bundle, which is the only way you’ll be able to buy Rock Band for months anyway) and makes for one of the most rewarding co-op events you could ask for. This is the perfectly polished, logical extension of what Guitar Hero started and where the music genre needed to go. It just rocks.

We would normally hesitate to give any rerelease such a high score, but this is the ultimate edition of a true classic.

The best Forza Horizon game yet, delivering an astonishingly vast and detailed open world, filled with incredible features. With easily 100 hours of high quality solo content and infinite potential with community creations and online play, Forza Horizon 6 is a glorious showcase game for Xbox gaming. Just be warned the straight-laced racing gameplay is pretty tame compared to the genre's finest.

Journey is an unforgettable experience. Even when the details fade, the emotions that it evoked will stay with us for years.